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IMDbPro

Antonia Franceschi

  • Actress
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Antonia Franceschi in Fame (1980)
Bio 2024 Antonia Franceschi is a Time Out Award Winner for Outstanding Achievement In Dance and is an alumni of The New York City Ballet, selected by George Balanchine.

Works have been created for her by Balanchine, Robbins, Martins, Lubovitch, Baldwin, McGregor, Clarke, Armitage, Phillips, and van Laast. As a young dancer while still in high school she starred in the films Fame and Grease. Before joining NYCB she danced in Makarova and Company and was partnered by Sir Anthony Dowell.

She recently choreographed Dr Semmelweis to five star critical acclaim and sold-out audiences at London's Harold Pinter Theatre directed by Tom Morris co-written by Mark Rylance and Stephen Brown starring Mr Rylance.

The Guardian ***** 'The use of ballet dancers is equally moving: they dance as a young woman dies in childbirth - and this is not sentimental, it ambushes you (the fabulous choreography is by Antonia Franceschi)'

She choreographed Othello directed by van Kampen for The Globe Theatre as well as Idaspe for Pittsburgh's Byham Theater, Quantum Theater and Chatham Baroque, and was movement director at The Park Theatre, director van Kampen,.

Recently she danced in Jess and Morgs film "An Evening With Taglioni", as Taglioni.

Franceschi created and produced New York Ballet Stars performing at The Queen Elizabeth and Royal Festival Halls, touring both The Harrogate and Sintra Festivals. She was an advisor for The South Bank Center for five years, programming.

She has choreographed extensively for British and American companies.

Franceschi has been a judge on BBC's Young Dancer competition. She was invited by Boris Charmatz to dance in Musée De La Dance at the Tate Modern. Franceschi has taught and teaches The Royal Ballet, The New York City Ballet, Rambert Dance, DV8, Juilliard, Alvin Ailey, Joffrey and Rambert Schools, among others.

The Soho Theatre performed her play Up From The Waste directed by Nancy Meckler (London's West End Four Stars, Telegraph). She received a grant for POP8 for The Lion and Unicorn Theatre where she collaborated with Mark Baldwin, Zoe Martlew, and Ballet Black. Franceschi was interviewed for the book Balanchine, Then and Now, and has been a guest on Woman's Hour.

She was the Associate Choreographer for Arlene Philips duet for Candoco, and the Rehearsal Director for The Royal Opera Houses' Other Stories with Wendy Whelan and Edward Watson.
BornMarch 30, 1960
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BornMarch 30, 1960
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    Known for

    Fame (1980)
    Fame
    6.6
    • Hilary
    • 1980
    John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in Grease (1978)
    Grease
    7.2
    • Dancer
    • 1978
    Uma Thurman, Nick Nolte, and Jeremy Northam in The Golden Bowl (2000)
    The Golden Bowl
    5.9
    • The Ballet: First Queen
    • 2000
    Charlotte Gainsbourg, Luke Kirby, and Lou de Laâge in Étoile (2025)
    Étoile
    7.5
    TV Series
    • Meredith

    Credits

    Edit
    IMDbPro

    Actress



    • Charlotte Gainsbourg, Luke Kirby, and Lou de Laâge in Étoile (2025)
      Étoile
      7.5
      TV Series
      • Meredith
      • 2025
    • An Evening with Taglioni
      Short
      • 2021
    • Uma Thurman, Nick Nolte, and Jeremy Northam in The Golden Bowl (2000)
      The Golden Bowl
      5.9
      • The Ballet: First Queen
      • 2000
    • Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita in The Karate Kid Part II (1986)
      The Karate Kid Part II
      6.1
      • The Dancer On The Television Set (uncredited)
      • 1986
    • Joshua Bell, Hugh Downs, Renée Fleming, Alan Gilbert, Lorin Maazel, Natalia Makarova, Audra McDonald, Zubin Mehta, Itzhak Perlman, Louis Perry, Beverly Sills, Martin Bookspan, and Fred Child in Live from Lincoln Center (1976)
      Live from Lincoln Center
      8.5
      TV Series
      • Dancer
      • 1986
    • Two by Dove (1995)
      Great Performances: Dance in America
      7.7
      TV Series
      • Dancer - Bat
      • 1981
    • Eddie Barth in Irene Cara: Fame (Movie Version) (1980)
      Irene Cara: Fame (Movie Version)
      7.5
      Short
      • Hilary
      • 1980
    • Fame (1980)
      Fame
      6.6
      • Hilary
      • 1980
    • John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in Grease (1978)
      Grease
      7.2
      • Dancer
      • 1978

    Personal details

    Edit
    • Official site
      • LinkedIn.com
    • Alternative name
      • Antonia Francheschi
    • Height
      • 5′ 6½″ (1.69 m)
    • Born
      • March 30, 1960
      • Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
    • Spouses
        Mark F NortonMay 1995 - present (1 child)
    • Other works
      Ballet dancer and choreographer.
    • Publicity listings
      • 1 Pictorial

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Franceschi was only 16 when she was cast in Grease (1978). She remembers that the choreographer, Patricia Birch, had just singled her out for attention at the audition when an assistant director announced: "Anyone under 18, leave now." Franceschi recalls that she "just kept dancing." She ultimately got the part, but had to obtain a fake birth certificate in order to fool the studio's legal department.

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